Birmingham schools to convert six of its seven high schools to career academies

Carver High School will be one of six Birmingham high schools to be converted to career academies. (The Birmingham News/Joe Songer)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Six of Birmingham's seven high schools will be turned into career academies this fall, a move city school Superintendent Craig Witherspoon believes will lure families back to the city.

When Witherspoon took the helm of the struggling school system in March 2010, he had two major issues to grapple with: finances and academics.

Despite major budget cuts, Witherspoon never lost focus on his No. 1 goal for the system: increasing academic achievement. That meant reforming most of the city's high schools.

Six of the seven high schools -- the exception is Ramsay, a high-achieving magnet school that requires students to take an entrance exam before being accepted -- continue to struggle with test scores, discipline problems and a high number of dropouts.

BIRMINGHAM'SCAREER ACADEMIES
Six of Birmingham's seven high schools will offer career academies in the fall:
 Carver High School: The Academy of Engineering and the Academy of Health Science
 Huffman High School: The Academy of Architecture and Design
 Jackson-Olin High School: The Academy of Health Science
 Parker High School: The Academy of Urban Educators
 Wenonah High School: The Academy of Hospitality and Tourism
 Woodlawn High School: The Academy of Business and Finance

Career academies, Witherspoon says, are the way to go. Also known as small learning communities, career academies are organized around such occupational themes as health, business and finance, and computer technology.

"It allows students to work toward something they enjoy, and it makes the classes relevant," Witherspoon said. "If they go into the work force when they leave high school, they're prepared. If they go to university when they leave high school, they have some perspective and are better prepared."

Academy students take classes together, remain with the same group of teachers over time, follow a curriculum that includes both academic and career-oriented courses and participate in work internships and other career-related experiences outside a classroom.

"We have to level the playing field for our boys and girls," said Martha Barber, chief academic officer for Birmingham city schools. "We need to equip our children with what they need to be college- and career-ready."

In the fall each of the six high schools will have at least one career academy, and Barber said the offerings will continue to expand every year. Students who are interested in an academy not offered at their high school will be allowed to apply for a transfer. Some logistics are still being worked out.

The schools and offerings:

 Carver High School: the Academy of Engineering, which will educate students on the principles of engineering and provide content in the fields of electronics, biotech, aerospace, civil engineering and architecture; and the Academy of Health Science, for students interested in the medical field. It will introduce students to anatomy and physiology, human body structures and functions, therapeutic services and foundations of health science.

 Huffman High School: the Academy of Architecture and Design, which would allow students to learn about either drafting design technology or building construction.

 Jackson-Olin High School: the Academy of Health Science -- Same as the Carver High Academy of Health Science.

 Parker High School: the Academy of Urban Educators, for students interested in the teaching profession. Students will take teaching courses and will be required to do an education and training internship.

 Wenonah High School: The Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, which allows students to chart career paths in one of the world's largest industries, from hotel management to sports, entertainment and event management, and includes the study of geography, economics and world cultures.

 Woodlawn High School: The Academy of Business and Finance, which will connect students with the world of financial services, offering a curriculum that covers banking and credit, financial planning, international finance, securities, insurance, accounting and economics.